Combined vertical retort and gas-generator apparatus



- e P, LEWIS. COMBINED VERTICAL RETORT AND GAS GENERATOR APPARATUS.

APPIICATION FILED FEB. 13, I922.

Lia/ 21 692" L f edcawca 2P aw Q1602 i n W a [M GEORGE PEARCE LE'WIS s a a s; has 21 a O16 LONDCN, ENGLAND.

GUMBINED VERTICAL RETORT AND GAS-GENEEATOB AIEPihRhTUS.

Application filed February 13,1922. Serial ito. 536,308.

To aZl wh0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnome Pnanon LEWIS,

-a subject of the King of Great Britain, re-

siding in London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Vertical Retort and Gas-Generator; Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

In my co-pending'specification Serial No. 536,307, filed Feb. 13, 1922, I have described a combined retort and generator for the protective progressive distillation and gasification of solid carbonaceous matters in which the temperature increases gradually from the top downwards, gases rich in condensible "hydrocarbons and containing some ammonia being withdrawn from the retort and a producer gas-suitable for heating or power purposes being withdrawn from the generator, a portion of the producer gas flowing upward through the retorts.

The producer gas before being used for heating or power purposes was passed through an ammonia recovery plant.

The gases from the retorts were led through an oil and ammonia recovery plant before being used for heating or power pur- A steam or moisture saturated blast, pref era'bly preheated by the producer gas led away from the generator, might be led into the generator and through distributing passages into the retorts. The flues surrounding the retort might be heated by the pro-.

ducer gas before or after removal of the ammonla.

The fuel was preferably preheated in a supplementary chamber, the moisture and the deleterious gases evolved from the fuel being led into the generator or the retorts or.

used in any other convenient manner.

Alkalies could be mixed with theraw fuel to improve the quality of tlie oil distilled and under certain circumstances sawdust and like bodies.

The present invention consists in a modification of the arrangements and apparatus described in this prior specification adapted more particularly for the distillation and gasification of strongly coking coals.

In order to ensure the ready passage of the coke from the retorts to the generator, the retorts are formed as vertical chambers 'ofslightly tapering section, the lower ends of which communicate with a funnel shaped compartment the lower and smaller end of which is connected by means of mechanically operated valves with the upper end of th generator. Rotating rollers provided with spiked or grooved channels help to convey in known manner the lumps of coke from the retcrts te the generator.

Thefunnel shaped compartment serves as a means for controlling the supply of cake to the generator but is not as in previously face and admission of air for the combustion of the coke.

Part of the producer gasesv is led through a pipe or other suitable passage (not shown in the drawings) from the generator to the retort and the flow may be regulated by a valve.

In a slightly modified construction the retorts are separated from and placed by the side of the generator to the hopper chamber of which the coke from the retorts is led by a conveyor.

The generator is preferably provided with a mechanically revolved grate and ash eject ing device.

The series of vertical retorts is preferably arranged in settings of eight retorts communicating with a generator common to all the retorts.

It is found useful in some cases toadd to the raw fuel besides the"substances stated in the prior specification boric compounds and the alkalies added may advantageously be in. the form of crude sodium and potassium salts found native in Chile.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation ofthe retorts andFig. 2 is a sectional elevation a modification in which the retort is placed by the side of the generator.

in Fig. 1, the rctorts are shown at a and the generator at b; 0 is a hopper chamber 'for conveying the coke to the generator, i

are rotatingjrollers for facilitating the pas-' sage of the coke. Valves 6 operated by levers f open,and close the passage between the retorts and the generator. 9 is an annular-steam and water space for keeping the interior temperature low and for furnishing a supply of steam for the generator and retort.

The generator is shown as supported on three legs h. 1

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the coke from the retorts a is led by a conveyor .iHlOWIl manner provided with a grate sur i inigo the hopper chamber 7' of the generator Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical etlect, I claim 1. Apparatus for distilling and gasitying .solid carbonaceous matter, said apparatus solid carbonaceous matter, said apparatus comprising in combination a vertical retort chamberand a vertical generator, a conveyor connecting the lower end of said retort and a tunnel shaped chamber at the upper end of said generator, means for the con tinuous introduction of a moisture saturated blast into the generator and means for the Withdrawal of part of the producer gases generated in'the generator.

3. Apparatus for distilling and gasitying solid carbonaceous matter, said apparatus comprisin" in combination a vertical generator an a plurality of vertical retorts', a.

comprising in combination a vertical generator and a plurality of vertical retorts, a

funnel shaped chamber between said retorts and said generator, means for regulating and facilitating the passage of said solid carbonaceous matter from each retort to the generator, and an annular Water-containing chamber surrounding the lower part of the generator.

5. Apparatus for distilling and gasit'ying solid carbonaceous matter, comprising in combination a vertical retort chamber and a vertical generator chamber, a funnelshaped -chamber through which the solid material from the lower end of the retort passes to the upper part of the generator, a valve in said funnel-shaped chamber for regulating the passage of said material, a lever for opening and closing said valve rollers in said funnel-shaped chamber for facilitating the passage of said materiahand an annular space containing water surrounding the lower part of the generator.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE PEARCE LEl/VIS.'

lVitness T. J, Osman. 

